Experimental observations of detonation in ammonium-nitrate-fuel-oil (ANFO) surrounded by a high-sound-speed, shockless, aluminum confiner

Detonations in explosive mixtures of ammonium-nitrate-fuel-oil (ANFO) confined by aluminum allow for transport of detonation energy ahead of the detonation front due to the aluminum sound-speed exceeding the detonation velocity. The net effect of this energy transport on the detonation is unclear. It could enhance the detonation by precompressing the explosive near the wall. Alternatively, it could decrease the explosive performance by crushing porosity required for initiation by shock compression or destroying confinement ahead of the detonation. At present, these phenomena are not well understood. But with slowly detonating, non-ideal high explosive (NIHE) systems becoming increasing prevalent, proper understanding and prediction of the performance of these metal-confined NIHE systems is desirable. Experiments are discussed that measured the effect of ANFO detonation energy transported upstream of the front by a 76-mm-inner-diameter aluminum confining tube. Detonation velocity, detonation front-shape, and aluminum response are recorded as a function of confiner wall thickness and length. Detonation shape profiles display little curvature near the confining surface, which is attributed to energy transported upstream modifying the flow. Average detonation velocities were seen to increase with increasing confiner thickness, while wavefront curvature decreased due to the stiffer, subsonic confinement. Significant radial sidewall tube motion was observed immediately ahead of the detonation. Axial motion was also detected, which interfered with the front-shape measurements in some cases. It was concluded that the confiner was able to transport energy ahead of the detonation and that this transport has a definite effect on the detonation by modifying its characteristic shape.     

Locally conformal finite-difference time-domain techniques for particle-in-cell plasma simulation

The Dey–Mittra [S. Dey, R. Mitra, A locally conformal finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm for modeling three-dimensional perfectly conducting objects, IEEE Microwave Guided Wave Lett. 7 (273) 1997] finite-difference time-domain partial cell method enables the modeling of irregularly shaped conducting surfaces while retaining second-order accuracy. We present an algorithm to extend this method to include charged particle emission and absorption in particle-in-cell codes. Several examples are presented that illustrate the possible improvements that can be realized using the new algorithm for problems relevant to plasma simulation.     

Some Isoperimetric Inequalities for Kernels of Free Extensions

If G is a hyperbolic group (resp. synchronously or asynchronously automatic group) which can be expressed as an extension of a finitely presented group H by a finitely generated free group, then the normal subgroup H satisfies a polynomial isoperimetric inequality (resp. exponential isoperimetric inequality).     

Synthesis of phenethylamines from phenylacetonitriles obtained by alkylation of cyanide ion with mannich bases from phenols and other benzylamines

Benzylamines, obtained by the Mannich reaction on phenols or by reductive alkylation of aldehydes, have been used in place of benzyl chlorides to alkylate cyanide ion to obtain nitriles which may be reduced to phenethylamines. Yields of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetonitrile were about the same from the primary, secondary, and tertiary amines. Benzylamines not having either an ortho or para OH group did not function as alkylating agents. With such compounds it was necessary to prepare the quaternary salts before alkylation could be achieved. 6-Hydroxydopamine was prepared from 2,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde utilizing the latter approach. 3,5-Dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenethylamine was cyclized to the corresponding dihydroisoquinoline. The isoquinoline and tetrahydroisoquinoline analogs were also prepared. 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetonitrile was hydrolysed to homovanillic acid, the naturally occurring metabolite of dopamine.     

Flame acceleration in a narrow channel with flow compressibility and diverging or converging walls

We study the effects of non-parallel (diverging or converging) channel walls on flame propagation and acceleration in planar and cylindrical narrow channels, closed at the ignition end and open at the other, accounting for thermal expansion in both the zero Mach number and weakly compressible flow limits. For parallel channel walls, previous work has shown that thermal expansion induces an axial flow in the channel, which can significantly increase the propagation speed and acceleration of the flame. In this study, we consider examples of diverging/converging linear walls, although our asymptotic analysis is also valid for curved walls. The slope of the channel walls is chosen so that the magnitude of the thermal-expansion induced flow through the channel obtained for parallel walls is modified at leading-order, thereby influencing the leading-order flame propagation. For zero Mach number flows, the effect of the diverging/converging channel walls is moderate. However, for weakly compressible flows, the non-parallel walls directly affect the rate at which pressure diffuses through the channel, significantly inhibiting flame acceleration for diverging walls, whereas the flame acceleration process is enhanced for converging walls. We consider several values of the compressibility factor and channel wall slopes. We also show that the effect of a cylindrical channel geometry can act to significantly enhance flame acceleration relative to planar channels. The study reveals several new physical insights on how non-parallel channel walls can influence the ability of flames to accelerate by modifying the flow and pressure distribution induced by thermal expansion.     

Ignition and transient dynamics of sub-limit premixed flames in microchannels

We examine, via two-dimensional numerical simulation of a model system, some unsteady transient ignition scenarios and sustained oscillatory combustion modes that can occur in a single-pass, conductive channel, premixed microburner. These issues are relevant to the problem of ignition, evolution to stable combustion and the operational modes of microcombustors. First, we describe an unsteady ignition sequence that may occur when a single-pass microburner with initially cold walls has its exit walls heated and maintained at a fixed temperature. In particular, we demonstrate that as the heat from the exit walls propagates down the microburner walls, a reaction wave is driven rapidly down the channel towards the inlet via a sequence of oscillatory ignition and quenching transients. This scenario has been observed experimentally during the ignition of a single-pass microburner. Secondly, we show how an initial axial wall temperature gradient can lead to a variety of sustained combustion modes within the channel, including stable stationary flames, regimes of periodic motion involving quenching and re-ignition, regimes of regular oscillatory combustion, and regimes consisting of a combination of re-ignition/quenching events and regular oscillatory motions, all of which have been observed experimentally.     

The Effects of Sacred Value Networks Within an Evolutionary, Adversarial Game

The effects of personal relationships and shared ideologies on levels of crime and the formation of criminal coalitions are studied within the context of an adversarial, evolutionary game first introduced in Short et al. (Phys. Rev. E 82:066114, 2010). Here, we interpret these relationships as connections on a graph of N players. These connections are then used in a variety of ways to define each player’s “sacred value network”—groups of individuals that are subject to special consideration or treatment by that player. We explore the effects on the dynamics of the system that these networks introduce, through various forms of protection from both victimization and punishment. Under local protection, these networks introduce a new fixed point within the game dynamics, which we find through a continuum approximation of the discrete game. Under more complicated, extended protection, we numerically observe the emergence of criminal coalitions, or “gangs”. We also find that a high-crime steady state is much more frequent in the context of extended protection networks, in both the case of Erd?s-Rényi and small world random graphs.